Flat racing 4th June

[robertob]

15.00 Naas: Ahaaly @ 8/1 Boylesports Ahaaly, the only three year old in this field, receives loads of weight thanks to the WFA allowance and that could make the difference for her against solid- but far from exciting opposition. She had only two starts to date, but was impressive in both. She was only beaten on the line by Shebella at Limerick on her debut. Shebella went after that straight into a Group 3 race, finished there five from six but not far beaten and this is form is a very interesting one, as the winner Princess Highway looks to be an exciting prospect and Oaks winner Was finished third there. Back to Ahaaly. She won a maiden at Dundalk recently. It was probably a poor maiden but she couldn't have been more impressive there. She quickened well and was never in serious trouble. She steps now up into Listed company, it's only her third start and she is open to considerable improvement. I rate her a big chance here. 16.40 Carlisle: Jeannie Galloway @ 16/1 VC I just feel this is a massive price for Jeannie Galloway. She didn't show much this year, apart from a decent performance at the Curragh in a good Handicap. She switched yards recently and is now down to a handy mark. She won off 83 already in the past and has a useful claimer on board tomorrow. The distance might stretch her stamina, she never raced over 1m - or in this cas 7f 220y - so far but there is a chance that she stays the trip as her dam won over 1m and was raced also over 10 furlongs. I think this race is pretty open and JG has the ability to win it, but could also finish last of course. I'll give her a chance at this price. 16.45 Naas: Nandiga @ 8/1 Boylesports I'm really keen on this lovely filly, a 180.000 € yearling from PJ Prendergast. She won on her debut at the Curragh recently a good maiden - think this form will work out very well in the long term. Nandiga looked absolutely outstanding in the parade ring, a real eye-catcher, and it was no surprise to me that she made a winning debut. She had the widest possible draw to overcome, ran green, was badly outpaced 3f out but stayed on well and finished strongly. She probably will be much better over further but must also competitive over 6f in better races at this stage of her career. Prendergast said after the race that the ground was actually too fast for her, good that it rained here in the area around Dublin and Naas racecourse the last two days. The testing conditions should be in Nandiga's favour. Prendergast said also something that suggest that this horse must be really talented: "....our two-year-olds invariably go to the track with a bit to learn because of the way we do things. To that end, for Nandiga to oblige at the first time of asking at the Curragh on Saturday says much about her capabilities. A trip to Royal Ascot might eventually be an option for her, but she is still so babyish in her attitude that I have put her in the Listed race at Naas on Monday to give her more experience. That will effectively be a trial for Ascot." He also said that Nandiga is probably his best 2yo this year. It might be a trial for Nandiga tomorrow but she is a contender for Ascot then she has to win it. The field is a good one, but she should be much better with the experience from her debut and looks to be in fantastic form, as she looked so amazing in the parade ring at the Curragh. The conditions will be in her favour and I do expect a big run from her.

[Bathtime For Rupert]

Re: Flat racing 4th June 3.15 Chepstow - 1pt win Netley Marsh @ 12/1 (Bet365) Although this one looks the clear 2nd string of Richard Hannon's in this race, behind the hot 7/4 favourite Golden Jubilee, it wouldn't be the first time that the supposed lesser-fancied of the two caused an upset and I don't think this one is out of it at all if you can forgive him his recent effort at Windsor. The race that the favourite won last time was hardly anything to write home about and although he may be fairly handicapped, he's not a horse I want to be getting involved in at such a price. On the contrary, 12/1 isn't bad for a horse who had shown plenty of ability in four starts before dropping out in testing conditions over 1m2f at Windsor last time. He didn't seem to enjoy the ground one bit and ended up staying solo up the centre of the course up the straight. His track position made little difference but the losing margin may have been exaggerated by it as well as the fact Richard Hughes accepted the situation and wasn't hard on him. The ground is described as good to soft today and I am tentative here hoping that it isn't riding too bad. If it isn't, then I think his previous form gives him a sound chance. Having shown a lot of encouragement on debut (very slowly away over 5f), he finished late over 6f at Salisbury on quick ground to get off the mark at the second attempt. Unfortunately for him, he bumped into a good thing in a novice race next time where the winner dotted up and has subsequently been running with respect in listed and group races in Germany (chased home a horse who ran in the French Derby 2 starts ago!) so losing to that one was no disgrace at all. He was beaten no more than 3l by the remainder of the field, however, and is handicapped fairly on evidence of that run. He got outpaced as well and looked as if the return to a more testing track would suit. He gets that day and his return effort at Kempton this season was also promising. He stayed on pretty well up the straight under a very generous ride from Richard Hughes when 7th of 14 off the back of a 10-month absence. He wasn't hard at all on the horse and it looked like he'd be a force next time out. Unfortunately that wasn't the case, but he did have excuses, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him put in a better showing today, especially if the ground isn't riding too bad. 4.15 Leicester - 3pts win The High Man @ 7/2 (Bet365) I think this horse is one of the most interesting runners of the day and he could be off a very fair mark based on his old form for John Oxx over in Ireland. He's since joined Ed Walker, who enlists the assistance of William Buick for just the third time. Buick is 1-2 for the yard and that is a positive sign for this one today. He has some very encouraging form at 2 and his recent reappearance suggested that there were still races to be won with him. Having needed the experience on debut, his subsequent three maiden runs were not bad at all - he just met some very smart types. The first of which being Dubai Prince - a horse Dermot Weld was extremely complimentary towards. Seville was 2nd in the race with another now 100+ rated horse in 3rd. They were unsurprisingly clear of a 78-rated animal and my selection, with those two a further 4 1/2l ahead of the rest. A 0-70 handicap at Leicester off a mark of 69 is a far cry from that sort of company. Similarly, a staying on 2nd to Exodus at Navan wasn't a bad effort, especially as there were some high-class performers in behind that day - the likes of Freedom and Minsk to name a couple. Anything like that would surely make him very hard to beat today. It was Recital next up to prevent The High Man from getting off the mark, but a 4 3/4l defeat is nothing to be ashamed of - especially as he shaped as if further would suit. This 10f trip, give or take a few yards, should be much more suitable and it appeared that way when he returned to the track at Newbury last time off the back of an almost 18-month hiatus from the track. He was fairly weak in the betting but ran very respectably all things considered. He wasn't given a hard time late on as he was guided home once beaten, but still finished a sound 6th of 14. He's been dropped 1lb for that and should have come on substantially for it. The fact that William Buick is booked suggests to me that connections feel he's got a very good chance today and I believe so too so long as he doesn't bounce. 5.15 Carlisle - 3pts win I'm Super Too @ 10/1 (Bet365) I'm actually pretty keen on Alan Swinbank's runner here as he edges down the weights without running appallingly and I think things are ideal for him here having had excuses on a few of his recent runs. Although he's done all of his winning at Hamilton, the stiff nature of this track will suit and his only run here since his debut saw him go down by a mere neck over c&d in a claimer he had no right to get as close as he did at the weights. That bodes very well for his return to the venue and he's only 1lb higher now for his most recent comfortable win at the aforementioned Scottish track. His purple patch ended abruptly at Musselburgh last September when upped in grade and in the weights, and it was a similar story on ground not ideal at Haydock on his final run of the season. His three efforts to date this campaign have suggested he's running okay to me, though, and that when things go to plan, he can win again. He ran pretty well off 6lbs higher on his seasonal return - again on ground which wasn't quick enough for him (all 4 wins have come on good or better). Although he was beaten 11l by Al Muheer at Thirsk next time out, the winner romped away with it and he paid for chasing a hot early pace. He did clearly the best of any of those close up and travelled into the race quite nicely. He just couldn't go with those who had saved their energy early on. The front two and the 4th were held-up right out the back so to finish 3rd wasn't a bad effort - especially when you consider the rest of the field, headed by the front-runner, were a further 9l back. Essentially I'm Super Too beat the next-best prominent racer by 13l - again on ground described as good-to-soft. He was dropped 2lbs for that and sent to Chester over 1m2f where the ground was better for him. However, I don't think the track was great for him and he pulled hard early upped in trip. He was beaten just over 6l which probably wasn't too bad considering things weren't ideal for him. As well as this, he was partnered by Andrew Elliott, rather than usual pilot Garry Whillans who claims 5lbs. This means he was running off 80 rather than essentially 72 which he goes off today (77 with Whillans back on board). The return of the claiming rider should help him be more competitive and he should have everything in his favour today. His mark isn't bad, the track suits as well as the trip and ground. There doesn't appear to be an obscene amount of pace in the race although enough to ensure it isn't a farce, which hopefully can see him get a nice lead before taking matters up at the business end. I think 10s is generous, for all it probably appears fair to the naked eye. I think he's been running better than the form suggests without things going for him, and now they seemingly are, I'll be disappointed if he doesn't run very well indeed.